James ingle



(No Model.)

J. INGLE. BRANDING MACHINE.

No. 589,087. Patented Aug. 31, 1897.

m: NORRIS PETER} 00.. PHOTD-LITHQ. WASHINGiON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JAIVIESHINGLE, or LONDON,'ENGLAND. I

BRANDlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,087, dated August 31, 1897.

Application filed May 29,1896. $erial No. 593,613. (No model.) Patented in England September 3, 1895, No. 16,509, and in France July 15,1896,N0r255,271-

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES INGLE, residing at London, England, have invented an Improved Branding-Machine, of which the following is a specification, this invention having been patented in Great Britain September 3,1895, No. 16,509, (sealed April 12,1896,) and in France July 15, 1896, No. 255,271.

My invention relates to machines for branding names, number-brands, or other indications on casks, boxes, cases, or any articles of wood or other easily-combustible material, and has for its'object the arrangement and construction of a machine whereby, first, the branding can be effected bya small amount of pressure with great facility direct on the cases or box or head of .thecask without the necessity of removing the part to be branded from the case, box, or cask of which it forms a part; secondly, the operator can readily see the operation of branding as it progresses and can correct any fault or deficiency in the branding without removal of the part receiving the impression from the machine; thirdly, the branding can be effected in a perfect and distinct manner upon surfaces that are un-' even or are notin a plane; fourthly, the amount of heat required to effect the branding is very small and u'nder perfect control,

and, fifthly, any combination of letters figures, or other devices can be readily efiected with great facility and despatch.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same in relation to the accompanying drawings, reference being had to the letters marked thereon.

Like letters refer to like parts in thevarious figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brandingmachine made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same on the lines A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. l is-a detail part sectional view of abranding-sta'mp, and Fig. 5 shows a series of stamps adapted to be heatedtby a ring-burner.

To carry my invention into effect I arrange upon a suitable base A a support or column B, adapted to carry (preferably in an adj ustable manner) a head 0, adapted to receive a series of branding-stamps D in one or more rows or in any other desirable disposition. These stamps D are so arranged as to be capable of a vertical movement'to bring them in contact with the article to be branded. To effect this, I arrange at the upper part of each stamp D a stem E, screwed into the stamp, and on this stem I dispose a washer F and a spiral or other spring G between the head of the stem E and the washer F. The washer F is arrangedto engage with the head 0 to prevent the stamp D from falling through mounted on the head 0, so as to turn about a vertical axis. On lever H an adjustable contact-block J of about the width of the head of the stem of one of the stamps is arranged to slide thereon and is retained in place by a spring K or screw K, or by both. By such an arrangement the contact-block J can be brought over any particular stamp D that it is desired to operate. An'umberof vertical guides L are arranged on the head 0, upon which are disposed'bars or plates M, adapted to slide thereon, so that a row of stamps D can be operated at one time and are easily removable from the guides when any particular stamp is to be operated. I

In the case of stamps carrying figures I prefer to allow a certain amount of dead play laterallyin the slot or orifice holding them, and I fit a bridle N, embracing the series of stamps, and provide a lever O or other means for moving the stamps laterally: By this means I can brand articles consecutively by moving the stamps sideward until the particular figure is over the proper place for mak ing the impression. The head 0 is made ad= pherie gas-burner T is disposed at the end of each row of stamps, so as to allow the flame to pass through the said holes, thus heating the stamps near the operative or branding ends, (this is shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) or I may arrange a ring-burner T, adapted to inclose each series of stamps, so as to heat them from the outside, as shown in Fig. 5.

To operate my machine, the cask or box is placed upon the base A under the head 0, the burners having been lighted and the stamps heated. The lever is brought down, and the contact-block J is adjusted over a row of stamps, so as to bear upon their plate M or alternatively over any particular stamp after having first lifted off the plate M. The lever is now depressed and the stamps D forced down upon the surface to be branded, the heated stamps burning the material of the cask or box and producing the impression. lVhen it is thought sufficient effect has been produced, the lever is lifted, the spiral springs returning the stamps to their normal position, when the impression can be seen, and, if unsatisfactory, the stamps can be applied as a whole or any particular one can be applied again by removing the plate M. When one row of marks or brands has been finished, the lever is adjusted to the next row and is operated in a similar manner to that hereinbefore described.

In the ease of numbering consecutively the stamps held in the bridle can be moved sideward, so that any particular stamp can be brought over its proper place.

I may, if desirable, arrange the gas-burner to be moved with the stamps, particularly in the case of a ringburner fitted to the numbering-stamps.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, the base, the head having a series of slots, the stamps adapted to slide vertically in said slots and to be adjusted laterally therein, the lever pivoted to the head and a contact-block adjustable on the lever to engage one of the series of stamps, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the base, the head, the series of stamps arrangedt-o be forced down through the said head, the guides L on the head, the cross-plate M adapted to force the series of stamps down as a whole, the lever and the contact thereon adapted to engage either the plate M or the stamps singly, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a series of stamps having openings in their lower ends alining with each other and forming a continuous open channel from one side of the series of stamps to the other and a burner directed to the openingin one stamp at one end of the series whereby the heat will pass through the whole series, substantially as described.

4. In a branding-machine, a base, asupport on said base, a head adjustably carried on said support, a series of independent stamps adapted to slide in said head and means for operating said stamps, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the head having a series of parallel slots, the stamps in said slots, the lever extending over the slots and having an adjustable contact, the frame N and the lever 0 to which said frame is adj ustably connected to be moved to engage the stamps in either slot.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subseribin g witnesses.

JAMES INGLE.

\Vitnesses:

RICHARD A. IIOFFMANN, CHARLES II. CARTER. 

